


A Lot To Think About

by PinkPandorafrog



Series: Keeper [6]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: F/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-22
Updated: 2016-05-22
Packaged: 2018-06-10 00:40:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,290
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6930931
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PinkPandorafrog/pseuds/PinkPandorafrog
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Darcy finds her mother-in-law a little intimidating.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Lot To Think About

Frigga was apparently quite charmed by Tony. Not that Darcy could really _blame_ her, being charming was kinda Tony's thing. And apparently it worked on _mumble_ -thousand-year-olds, too.

Darcy felt a little bit less sure of herself. She hadn't said much since Frigga had come down to join them for lunch, apparently intent on meeting her son's chosen family. It wasn't that she wasn't nice. No, she was perfectly nice. Friendly, warm smile. But her clear blue eyes seemed to see _everything_ , and there was just something that was a little bit intimidating about her.

Frigga wiped her mouth off on her napkin and set it down beside her plate. “Darcy,” she started, a warm smile on her face. “Perhaps you would show me the gardens. Thor has spoken much of them.”

“Uh.” Gardens? Oh, probably Bruce's hydroponics lab. Darcy's eyes flew to Thor, and he gave her a reassuring smile. Everything would be fine. “Sure, yeah.” Just fine.

She pushed back her chair and got to her feet. Thor was immediately up as well, pulling Frigga's chair out for her, and offering her a hand to help her stand as well. “It's a couple floors down.” Darcy started out towards the elevator.

It was impossible not to feel a little bit under-dressed beside Frigga. She'd worn an actual dress, but it didn't compare to the ice-blue gown Frigga was wearing. Of course, the other woman was the queen of a whole _planet_...

“You seem ill at ease,” Frigga remarked as the heavy steel elevator doors closed behind them.

Darcy sighed. She debated for a second on whether she should actually talk about it, but if this woman was basically her mother-in-law... “Yeah, a little bit. I mean...” She sighed. “Nothing against you, you're basically awesome.” Jane had been a big fan of Frigga's. Not so much Odin, but she'd thought Frigga was awesome.

“But?” Frigga sounded... Amused? Maybe?

She sighed again, eyes fixed on the glowing circular button for the floor with the hydroponics lab. “Like, we're basically married, right? I mean...” She gestured towards the elevator doors. “Only it's not official on Earth because we don't do three-people marriages.”

There was a sharp intake of breath from the other side of the elevator, but Frigga didn't _say_ anything. She really didn't have to, though, she was basically radiating disapproval.

Darcy rushed on. “And, like, you're Thor's mom. I mean, he loves you.” Thor went through a variety of emotions when he talked about his other family members, but only ever warmth and affection when he mentioned his mom. “And the queen _of a whole planet_. And I guess, I dunno.” She trailed off, drumming her fingers against her thigh. “I'm just me.”

Frigga didn't reply, at least not right away, but Darcy could practically _feel_ the weight of her eyes.

The elevator dinged helpfully at their destination, and they stepped out into the carpeted lobby just in front of the labs. Clear glass walls were between them and their destination, and she could already see the explosion of vibrant green from the lobby, as well as a couple of lab assistants moving around inside.

Darcy pulled the door open for Frigga, holding it for the other woman to walk through, then fell in step beside her as they moved through the maze of paths.

“When I was a young woman, much as you are now, I felt very much the same when I met Odin's mother.” There was a small smile on Frigga's lips as she looked over at Darcy. “Ours was a political marriage, which made it both easier and more difficult, I believe. Easier, because they'd chosen me, more difficult because I had a standard to live up to.”

This was new information, which Darcy digested in silence. According to, well, everyone she'd talked to about it, the King and Queen of Asgard were tight. But a political marriage made sense, even if it had grown into something more.

“All the same, Alfheim wasn't nearly as advanced as Asgard.” There was a fond note in Frigga's tone.

Yeah, she could identify with that as well. They'd just had lunch with one of the smartest men on the _planet_ , and Darcy still got the impression that Frigga was just casually more intelligent than he was. She twisted her ring around her finger, eyes trained on the path in front of her.

“That weighed on me quite heavily as well. It took time to grow into my new position, to adjust.” Frigga stopped walking, turning to face Darcy.

Darcy stopped as well, looking up at the other woman. Apparently Asgardians all ran to the _tall_ side of the spectrum. “You seem pretty cool with it now.”

“I've had some time to adjust.” Frigga smiled. “You will, too. You have the benefit of already being close with Thor. When he ascends the throne, that will be one less adjustment to make.”

Darcy nodded. That made a lot of sense. She stopped suddenly, eyes narrowing. _Wait_. “Ascends the...” Thor was still heir to the throne on Asgard, which would make her- “Oh, holy _fuck_.” She glanced back up at Frigga. “I mean... Uh... Is our, um, relationship legally binding on Asgard?” Because technically it _wasn't_ on Earth, the matching rings more symbolic than anything. Doing their taxes sure was fun.

Frigga's eyes dropped pointedly down to where she was twisting the ring around her finger. “Thor has chosen you, both of you. It would be foolish not to celebrate that, as he does.”

“Uh huh.” They were Asgard-married. They were _Asgard-married_ , and Thor was heir to the throne which meant... “Um, I'm not going to live that long. Like, you'll blink and I'll be dead of old age or whatever.”

Frigga's expression turned strangely indulgent, mixed with a touch of exasperation. “Volstagg's wife is of Midgard.” Her eyes moved over Darcy's face for a moment before she turned towards the plant she happened to be standing beside. “This smells of mint.”

“It is,” Darcy answered, her eyes automatically moving over the little label just off the path.

“Very well grown. Dr. Banner must have an able touch with plants.” It wasn't that surprising that she already knew that this was Bruce's lab.

They made the rest of the walk through the lab mostly in silence before heading back up to the penthouse, Darcy's mind _whirling_.

But Frigga was headed back up to Asgard. She kissed both of Darcy's cheeks before turning her attention to Thor. “You've been somewhat remiss in sharing our culture,” she chided him gently. “Your bride is worried about aging before you.”

They both looked at her, and Darcy felt a little bit like a bug under a microscope. She nodded, though. Like, it was a valid concern. She and Tony had talked about it a couple of times when Thor was off-planet or otherwise occupied.

Tony stepped up behind her, his hand settling in the small of her back. She leaned into him, taking strength from his presence.

“Ah.” Thor actually looked a little bit ashamed. “An oversight I will correct.” He turned towards his mother, and they hugged. “I will see you soon.”

“Yes.” Frigga pulled away from him and turned her attention to Tony and Darcy. “I hope you will visit soon as well.”

And then she was gone, out on the balcony and sucked up by the swirling lights of the Bifrost.

Darcy let out a long breath she hadn't been aware she'd been holding, somehow feeling a little bit like there was a weight on her shoulders. “Okay, your mom is nice, but kinda... intimidating.” She nodded, looking up at Thor.

“So what's this about premature aging?” Tony asked, one eyebrow raised.

 

**Author's Note:**

> FRIGGA LIVES!!!!


End file.
